Skate



0. G. LAMONT.

(No Model.)

SKATE.

Patented Sept. 30,1890.

W/T/VESSES:

l/VVE/VTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE CHARLES GRANT LAMONT, OF DENVER, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVID C. BROW'N, OF ASPEN, COLORADO.

SKATE.

S IPECIFIQA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,653, dated September 30,1890.

Application filed April 21, 1890- Serial No. 348,931, (No model.) d

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES GRANT LA- MONT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in skates of the class designed to be clamped or clasped to the foot or shoe and retained securely in place thereon without the aid of straps, the clamps being capable of such adjustment that they may be made fast to or tightened upon the sole of the foot or shoe at pleasure.

The chief object of my improvement, as hereinafter set forth, is to provide a mechanism for adjusting these clamps, which mechanism shallbe simple in construction, economical in cost, quickly and easily operated, reliable in action, durable in use, and not liable to get out of repair, a device operated without the use of keys or similar appliances for the movement of the clamps in either direction, and other features, the entire mechanism consisting of the features, arrangements,andcombinationshereinafterdescribed and claimed. I

In thedrawings is illustrated an embodiment of the invention, in which drawings Figure 1 is a side" view or. elevation of a skate provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same, the open position of the lever being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a lon-- gitudinal section taken on the line m :0, Fig. 2. Fig.5 is a horizontal section taken on the line .2 ,2, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an inside View of the flange of a clamp, the horizontal portion of the clamp being shown in section.

. In the views; let the reference-numeral 1 indicate the blade of the skate. This blade is provided with two vertical slots 33, cutfrom the top downward, the lower portionof-the slot being undercut or enlarged and fashioned to receive the semi-spherical base 90f thevertical spindle 15. Within the center of the en- 5 5 larged lower portion of each of these slots 33 are formed the lugs or pivots 23, which take in or engage corresponding sockets formed in base 9, which is provided with the grooves 11 11, cut therein diametrically opposite each other and by means of which the base passes through the upper portion of slot 33, the edges of the slot engaging the grooves 31 while the base is passing therethrough to itsseat upon the pivot 23. Between the grooves 11 are shoulders 32, which engage corresponding shoulders above, formed by undercutting the blade to enlarge the lower portion of slot 33 for the reception of the base 9. It is obvious that this base can only be removed from its seat by turning oradjusting it so that the grooves 11 shall engage the edges of slot 33.

Resting upon each'base 9, within slot 33 and surrounding the spindle 15, is the toothed or fluted cylinder 20. The teeth of thiscylinder extend its entire length from top to bottom, and at their lower extremity engage a corresponding circular row of vertical lugs or short teeth 10. formed upon the top of base 9 and marking the inner limit of shoulders 32. The teeth of the cylinder therefore normally engage lugs 10, which look the cylinder to the base 9, except when the cylinder is raised within slot 33 and disengaged from said base, as hereinafter explained. The upper portion of the aperture of each cylinder 20 is enlarged for the reception of a coiled spring 22, which is seated and supported therein upon the shoulders 30 and surrounding the spindle.

The reference-numeral 34 designates the 0 bed-plates, which surround the upper portion of cylinder 20, said plates beingprovidedwith apertures corresponding with the slots 33 of blades 1. These plates are provided with the flanges 35. The outer flange in each: case terminates in or merges by a right-angular turn into a plate 4, which. plates 4 constitute the toe and heel plates, theirouter extren1i ties being suitably supported uponthe blade 1;

As shown in the drawings, a hooked lug 18, Too

formed upon the blade, extends through an aperture in the toe-plate and retains the same in position when the parts are assembled.

The outer extremity of the heel-plate 4 engages a socket 37, formed within the base of the toothed lug 36, which forms a stop or rear auxiliary support for the heel of the boot.

The bed-plate 34 is held in position by short lugs 26, formed upon the blade 1 and engaging corresponding apertures formed in said plate, as shown. Upon each of these bedplates and between the flanges are placed the oppositely-disposed sliding clamps 5 and 6, provided with flanges 17. Each of these clamps is provided with a toothed portion 21, which engages theupper portion of the toothed cylinder 20, the teeth of the cylinder and the clamp being made to correspond. Above each pairof clamps 5 and 6, and resting at 27 upon the flanges 35 of the bed-plates, is a retaining-plate 24, through which the spindle 15 passes, the aperture within said plate being large enough to allow the spindle to turn therein freely, so that the, plate may remain stationary while the spindle turns. The coiled spring 22 engages the under side of plate 24, the plate holding the spring in position from above.

There should be sufficient space 35 between the top of cylinder 20 and the plate 24 to permit the raising of the cylinder sufficiently to disengage it from the teethlO of base 9. When thus elevated, the cylinder may be turned freely upon the spindle and the clamps adjusted as desired, since the teeth of the cylinder engage simultaneously the corresponding oppositely-disposed toothed portion of each clamp and therefore move the clamps in opposite directions, or so as to narrow or widen the space between the flanges 17, which engage the sole of the boot, as may be desired.

Flanges 17 are preferablyprovided with thenarrow vertical toothed portions 25 on their outer edges, the space between being smooth, as shown in Fig. 6. The short teeth are preferred to teeth extending entirely across the flange, for the reason that short teeth engage or enter the boot-sole more readily than the longer ones.

Above the plates 24 extend the outer extremities of the levers 2 and 3, which are securely riveted or otherwise made fast to the spindles 9 and retain the mechanism underneath in position. The inner extremities of levers 2 and 3 overlap each other, as shown, the rear lever 3 being uppermost and provided with the longitudinal slot 14. Lever 2 is provided with a corresponding lug 7, which extends through and engages slot 14 and is provided with an elongated head, which normally occupies a position at an angle across the slot, said head being narrow enough to pass through the slot when the levers are properly adjusted and when it is desired to disengage them. Lever 2 is provided with the downwardly-projecting locking-bar 2, having the clasp 40, which engages the skate-blade on each side, one side of said clasp being provided with a short lug 13, adapted to enter a correspondin g socket 12, formed in the skate-blade, as shown. There is sufiicient space between the sides of clasp 40 to permit the disengagement of lug 13 from its socket by pressing lightly upon the opposite side of said clasp. The engagement of the lug and socket, however, is sufliciently secure to prevent the ac-' cidental slipping of the clasp from the blade and unlocking the levers, as might occur were it not for the employment of the lug and socket.

In the use of my improved skate the levers 2 and 3 are first unlocked and turned to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Each cylinder 20 is then grasped by the thumb and finger, raised from engagement with lugs or teeth 10, and turned sufficiently to adjust the clamps so that the flanges 17 will slip easily upon the boot-soles. As soon as the cylinders are released each returns by its own gravity and the action of the coiled springs 22 to its seat upon the base 9,again engaging teeth 10 and locking the cylinder and base 9 together. The levers 2 and 3 are then turned to the-position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and locked, thus tightening the clamps securely upon the boot-soles, since the levers are riveted to the spindle 15, which, with their connecting parts, must turn as the levers are adjusted.

It must be understood that when the levers are turned to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 the movement of the cylinders is such as to increase the distance between.

drawings, it will be readily observed that my improvements may be used with a roller-skate as well, or that rollers may be secured directly to the blades of the style of ice-skates shownin the drawings. Hence I do not limit myself to these improvements on an ice-skate, but claim them broadly for both roller and ice skates.

Having thus described my invention, what which also engage the toothed portion of the clamps, a plate made fast to the upper extremity of the spindle and retaining the clamps in place, a spring located in the upper portion of the cylinder and engaging the plate above the clamps, and suitable space between thetop of the cylinder and the retainingplate to permit the raising of the cylinder sufficiently to disengage it from the toothed base 9, substantially as described.

2. In a skate, the combination of the toothed clamps seated upon a bed-plate, means for retaining the clamps in place, a spindle having an enlarged toothed base pivoted Within the skate-blade, the top of the spindle being made fast to a plate or lever above the clamps,

and a toothed cylinder surrounding the spindle and engaging the base of the spindle at one extremity and the toothed portions of the clamps at the opposite extremity, the ar rangement of the parts being such that there shall be sufticient space between the top of the cylinder and the plate above to permit the raising of the cylinder to disengage it from the toothed base, substantially as described.

3. In a skate, the toothed clamps 5 and 6, resting upon a bed-plate and retained in place by a plate above, a spindle secured within the skate blade or frame, and a toothed cylinder adapted to rotate thereon and engage the teeth of the clamps for the purpose of adjustment, substantially as described.

4. In a skate, the adjustable toothed clamps 5 and 6, resting upon suitable bed-plates, spindles 15, each provided With an enlarged base 9, pivoted within the skate-blade, a toothed cylinder 20, located upon each spindle and en gaging the base 9 and clamps 5 and 6, and the adjustable levers 2 and 3, having their outer extremities made fast to the top of spindles 15 and having their inner extremities suitably united for the purpose of adjustment, substantially as described.

5. In a skate, the adjustable toothed clamps 5 and 6, resting upon a suitable bed-plate, spindles 15, each provided with an enlarged base 9, pivoted withinthe skate-blade, a toothed cylinder 20, located upon each spindle and engaging the base 9 and clamps 5 and 6, and the levers 2 and 3 for adjusting the clamps, said levers being united at their inner extremities by means of a slot 14 in one and a lug 7 in the other engaging the slot, said lug being provided with an elongated head normally occupying a position at an angle with the direction of the slot, but which when desired may be so adjusted that the slot may slip over the head of the lug and disconnect the levers, substantially as described.

6. In a skate, the adjustable toothed clamps 5 and 6, resting upon suitable bed-plates, spindles 15, each provided with an enlarged base 9, pivoted within the skate-blade, a toothed cylinder 20, located upon each spindle and engaging the base 9 and clamps 5 and 6, and the adjustable levers 2 and 3, suitably united and provided with alocking-bar 2, havinga clasp, 40, said clasp being provided with a lug 13,. engaginga socket 12, form ed Within the skate-. blade, substantially as described.

7. In askate, the adjustable toothed clamps 5 and 6, resting upon suitable bed-plates, spindles 15, each provided with an enlarged base 9, pivoted within the skate-blade, a toothed cylinder 20, located upon each spindle and engaging the base 9 and the clamps 5 and 6, and the notched lug or stop 36, secured to or formed integral with the blade and projecting upward in the rear of the heel-plate,substantia-lly as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES GRANT LAMONT.

Witnesses:

WM. MCCONNELL, ISHAM R. HOWZE. 

